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Internships – Are they worth it? 8 reasons to say yes

Internships are becoming more common. They are often the first professional experience that recent graduates will have before going further into their career. So, why are they so popular?

Work Experience

You apply for a job and they ask for work experience. But you need experience to get the job. It´s the frustrating situation that many young people face today. An internship gives you the opportunity to gain the experience you need in order to secure a job.

Transition

An internship is a transition between studying in the classroom and being in the office. It´s a chance to learn the ropes, make mistakes and learn from them. View an internship as a long interview- both for you and the company. Show the company that you are able to do a great job, while also experiencing the industry and deciding whether it´s the right path for you.

Time to decide

An internship is a chance to experience a job, a company and an industry first hand without the commitment of a permanent contact. The advantage? You can test drive your career.

Apply classroom knowledge

So you have a lot of knowledge. What you don´t have yet is experience. An internship allows you to put into practice what you learnt in the classroom and gives you the opportunity to develop your skills in a practical way.

Confidence

Doing an internship will give you confidence in your own abilities. From learning new skills, developing yourself and completing tasks, when your future employer asks if you can do something, you can answer ´Yes!´ with confidence. Having an internship on your CV and the experience behind you will give you extra confidence when you apply for future positions.

Extra edge

Having done an internship tells an employer that you are dedicated, enthusiastic to learn and proactive. Employers are more interested in your experience in the office than in the classroom, so in a competitive market where all graduates are looking for a job, those with work experience already will have that additional advantage.

Networking

Working with other professionals in your chosen field is a great way to network. The colleagues you have while you do an internship may help to get you a job later on through their own contacts. A reference from a respected professional in your sector will add great weight to your CV.

Employment

An internship is often the first step to landing a job. Many companies will invest in training for interns with the intention of hiring the interns once the internship has finished.

Be Careful of Internship Traps

Most companies have internship programmes integrated into their corporate culture and have structures to ensure that the intern has a valuable experience. However, there are some traps that you should avoid.

Learning

An internship is an opportunity to learn. If the company is only letting you make coffee, you may have learned how to make a great cup of coffee but you won´t be able to include it on your CV.

False promises

´You might be able to get a permanent contract here after your internship´ say many companies with no intention of hiring. The only way to turn a false promise into a real promise is a signed contract.

Too good to be true

If an internship sounds too good to be true, well, it probably is. Check the reliability of a company before signing any contact.

Is an internship worth it? Apply for yours now with Talent Search People to gain an invaluable experience.